The Chronicles of Q'barra

In Service of New Galifar

31

DEC/11

Trained in the art of rune smithing by the devotees of Onatar, the dwarf runepriest Olek Dael grew horrified by the destruction wrought during the Last War. Olek then had an epiphany – Force employed in service of order and light was far better than rampant chaos and darkness. If people would not listen to reason and work together, civilization must be imposed on them. Over time, Olek began to offer more of his praise to the Traveller.

When a rune-bound tome was brought by a party of adventurers to Newthrone from the Mountainroot Temple, Olek recognized it as a powerful relic from the Age of Demons. He stole the tome, seeking to invoke it’s runic power to summon an army dedicated to change and the creation of a new order of peace.

Olek fled Newthrone with the tome, heading up the Adder river, through Whitecfliff and to a vale nestled in the shadows of the Endworld Mountains. Stopping briefly in Restwell Keep, Olek passed through the King’s Wall and beyond knowledge.

The party is contacted by Vencarlo and Switchblade who explain the situation and hire our heroes to recover the rune-bound tome. The party agrees and heads to Whitecliff on an elemental-powered riverboat. From there, they travel to Restwell Keep on horseback and attempt to pick up Olek’s trail there.

They discover that Olek has holed up in an abandoned dungeon and they leave for it immediately.

As they approach, they are spotted by a medusa acting as look-out as they study the many statues in the area. Our heroes are triumphant in the ensuing battle, but Giberoth is petrified. As the medusa falls, a rune detaches from her body and attaches to the nearby Codren. Codren recalls from this arcane studies that the petrification can be reversed by applying the blood of the dead medusa to Giberoth’s stony lips.

After a short rest, the party discovers nearby stairs leading down to a double metal door – this must be the entrance to the dungeon! Hearing a bubbling sound on the other side, Silverthorn picks the lock and the party enters.

They find themselves in a long hall containing two sarcophagi and a bubbling font of water. Runes cover much of the floor, including a circle near the entrance that has a glowing section. Two minotaurs are visible and are preparing to charge.

Combat ensues and the minotaurs are joined by a hobgoblin. Soon, the minotaurs are dead and the hobgoblin has retreated to the bubbling font. Silverthorn teleports nearby as Codren slays the last minotaur, only to be hit by radiant energy and teleported to the glowing section of the rune circle near the door. He then charges forward again, seeking to skewer the hobgoblin. But as he draws near to the place he was earlier, he is again hit and teleported back to the rune circle. The runic bug zapper gives the party pause, but Codren and Giberoth figure out the operation and the party is able to come to grips with the hobgoblin and slay him. As he falls, a rune detaches from his body and attaches to Giberoth.